HAZE Demo Coming to US PlayStation Network Tomorrow

Ubisoft today announced that just as Europe did, the US PlayStation Store will be receiving the HAZE demo as well tomorrow. The demo will contain 4 Player Cooperative and Campaign modes. Be sure to check back during tomorrow's weekly update. View the press release below.

HAZE – *4 Player Co-op / Campaign Demo Now Available Exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®Network*

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: 6th May, 2008 – Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, today announced the release of a fully playable demo for Haze, the new first-person shooter set in a harsh future where war is never quite what it seems. Available exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®Network, this playable demo gives gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but also allows for up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online, via LAN or even 2 player split-screen. The demo is now available across Europe, and will go live on the PLAYSTATION®Network on 8th May in the U.S. Developed by shooter experts Free Radical, creators of the critically acclaimed TimeSplitters® series, Haze is scheduled for release exclusively on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system on May 23rd 2008 in EMEA territories. Haze is rated “18+” by PEGI.

Haze 4 Player Co-op / Campaign Demo: *Salva Region*
It’s finally time to feed your addiction…the playable demo for Haze has arrived. Take a Nectar-induced romp solo style, or with 3 of your friends in fierce co-op action through the Salva Region, a bright and high-octane environment, where explosions are huge and delightful, and deaths are fleeting and meaningless. It’s the only place on earth where you can blow a stranger’s head off with a jolly smile on your face. The green-orange vegetation teams with primary-coloured, unthreatening wildlife for the marines to trample all over. The sunshine beats down in comforting waves as you merrily murder your fellow man. This world makes you feel confident. Artificially so and like a dream.

For more information on Haze, please visit www.hazegame.com.

© 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design Limited. All Rights Reserved. Haze is a trademark of Ubisoft Entertainment and Free Radical Design. Free Radical Design and its associated logo are trademarks of Free Radical Design Limited. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Developed by Free Radical Design Limited. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 24 countries and sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2007-08 fiscal year Ubisoft forecasts generated sales of 920 million Euros. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

About Free Radical:
Founded in 1999, Free Radical Design is one of the UK’s leading independent video game developers and is now wholly focused on next-generation development. It recently achieved its first listing in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, being one of the UK’s fastest-growing technology companies. To learn more, please visit www.frd.co.uk.

HAZE Demo to Feature Opening Level

Derek Littlewood, creative head for HAZE at Free Radical, said that the game's demo, coming to the PlayStation Network on May 6, 2008, will feature the game's opening level.

“It’s the first mission in the game,” said Littlewood. “You take on the role of Shane Carpenter as a Mantel trooper as he’s scrambled into a jungle battlezone to secure the site of a crashed Mantel plane carrying a shipment of nectar.

“And you can assume by default that I’ll say it’s great,” he added.

Lets take his word for that.

[Demo to feature opening level, says Haze creative lead]

HAZE: Three New Multiplayer Videos

If screenshots weren't enough for you, here are some new multiplayer videos of Free Radical and Ubisoft's upcoming HAZE. The game looks great, and should be hitting stores next month.

HAZE: New Multiplayer Screenshots

Thanks to PS3Attitude, we have some new screenshots of the multiplayer modes in Ubisoft's upcoming HAZE. The game is looking amazing, and we are only made to wait as we wait for it's May 23rd release. Enjoy!

PSM3 Issue 100: TimeSplitters 2 HD Remake Petition, TimeSplitters 4 Information

The latest issue of PSM3 features some new information on TimeSplitters 4. The game is going to run on the same engine HAZE runs on and instead of mocking movies this time, they will be mocking video games. Considering this is a PlayStation 3 magazine and the HAZE engine already runs on the PlayStation 3, you can mark it as confirmed for this console. The latest PSM3 podcast pretty much confirms that as well.

Along with that comes a petition from the editors at PSM3 to Free Radical. Free Radical Boss Dave Doak said that if they get enough support, they will remake TimeSplitters 2 in HD. Want that remake? Give psm3@futurenet.co.uk with the subject 'Splitters HD' to show you want it.

[The campaign for TimeSplitters 2 HD starts here] [NeoGAF]

HAZE Four-Player Co-Op Demo Coming Early May

Ubisoft today announced that a four-player cooperative demo for HAZE is going to hit the PlayStation 3 in May 2008. The demo should be hitting in "early May" and will let gamers test the single-player campaign and the cooperative play as well. Way to throw together a demo Free Radical. See a new screenshot of the game at the link.

[HAZE Four-Player Co-Op Demo Coming to PS3: First Screenshot]

Official PlayStation Magazine UK to Have First Grand Theft Auto IV Review, TimeSplitters 4 Latest

According to e-mails subscribers of the Official PlayStation Magazine UK are receiving, the next issue is delayed until April 22, 2008 (around there) due to the exclusive first review they will be having of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV.

The issue will also feature a Mirror's Edge hands-on, and first looks at Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X, Alpha Protocol, and Sonic Unleashed. Out of no where, they will also have the latest on TimeSplitters 4. PlayStation 3 confirmed?

We will keep you updated when the issue releases.

[First GTA review in OPM on 22nd April]

HAZE: (Final?) Words on PlayStation 3 Exclusivity from Yescombe

There are two things that constantly appear when your talking about HAZE. The first is delays, and the second is exclusivity. Luckily, we are done with the delays, as it is set for a May 2008 release, but lets see what script writer for HAZE, Rob Yescombe, has to say on the exclusivity. When asked about HAZE's exclusivity, Rob answered.

"Why does everybody keep asking that? It’s a Playstation 3 exclusive. Buy a Playstation 3 and play it. I want it to be the reason people buy a Playstation 3."

Could it come out on another platform further down the line?

"We’re a Playstation 3 exclusive. If by some magical wave of the wand that happens, I won’t be complaining. But we’re a Playstation 3 exclusive."

Yescombe says that they've been working on the Sony platforms for a while and it was easier for them, and that is one of the reasons they brought the game just to the PlayStation 3.

[HAZE: Final Words on PS3 Exclusivity]

HAZE Preview: Learn the Story, Inject the Nectar

A new preview for HAZE on GameTrailers takes us through what we know about the game so far for all those new comers just starting to find out what HAZE is all about. Sit down for a good four minutes and learn the story of how you start off with Mantel, and become a Promising Hand rebel. Enjoy!

HAZE "maximizes the potential of the PS3"

Free Radical made HAZE a PlayStation 3 exclusive in order to enable it to "maximizes the potential of the PS3", according to Free Radical.

Derek Littlewood, Project Lead for the game said that the development team were "enjoying working with the PS3" and that "it's always nice to be able to focus on making one thing great rather than spreading your efforts".

Derek Littlewood explains why they went PlayStation 3 exclusive: "At Free Radical we've always had a good history with PlayStation hardware. If you look all the way back to the European launch of the PS2, we had TimeSplitters coming out as a PS2 exclusive then. Ever since then we've always worked well with PlayStation hardware. And so when it came to HAZE it was an obvious decision to make. Our coders were enjoying working with the PS3 and it seemed a good decision. As a developer it's always nice to be able to focus on making one thing great rather than spreading your efforts. So we were pleased to have the opportunity to focus purely on PS3."

He said that the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are both great pieces of hardware, but the PlayStation 3 allowed them to maximise the potential of that particular platform. When asked if it will come to the Xbox 360, Littlewood said: "I can literally say nothing on that at all!". At least we know it is exclusive for now.

[Haze exclusivity "maximises the potential of the PS3"]

HAZE: New Multiplayer Videos

HAZE is finally going to release next month, and we are anxiously waiting. Some new multiplayer videos have surfaced today on IGN. The game is looking sick, and the red and yellow theme of the game makes it shine. Enjoy the videos!

[HAZE Multiplayer Videos ]

HAZE: Thirteen New Screenshots

Free Radical's website was updated with thirteen new screenshots of HAZE. The screenshot sure does show the impressive visuals the game is sporting, and hopefully all that extra time they took working on the game improved the gameplay as well. Enjoy!

HAZE Officially Coming May 22, 2008

Ubisoft has finally revealed that HAZE is schedule for release in Europe (and probably the US as well) on May 22, 2008. The game has seen massive delays, but this is finally it.

[Haze confirmed for May 22]

HAZE Exclusiveness Gets Hazy Once More

You think they would have made up their mind by now. After confirming HAZE will never see the light of day on another console, Ubisoft is back saying otherwise. According to a spokesperson for Ubisoft, HAZE is " ...exclusive on the PS3 for now."

Make up your mind Ubisoft!

[Haze PS3 exclusive "for now", says Ubisoft]

Play.com Live: HAZE to Only Run at 30fps?

The guys over at Atomic Radio were able to attend the Play.com Live 2008 show at Wembley Stadium and got to play Free Radical's upcoming HAZE. The bottom right-hand corner of the screen told how many frames per second the game was running. It was just about 30. Whether it was only for the demo build, or the complete game, we do not know. We do know that either way, the game is still looking great.

[Atomic Radio]

Play.com Live 2008: HAZE Never Releasing on the Xbox 360

Straight from Play.com Live inthe Wembley Stadium comes final confirmation that HAZE will always be a PlayStation 3 exclusive.

The complete game is playable at the event, and Kev Lochun is going to be hosting a preview event this weekend. According to Ripten, the game is looking clean and sharp, and Nectar overdose is a pleasing yet disorientating experience.

Two Ubisoft representatives were present at the game booth. When quizzed about whether the game will come to another console, the rep stated that it will never make its way onto another platform. Way to go Free Radical.

[Haze Never Coming Out on Xbox 360]

HAZE Script Reaches Over 1,000 Pages

According to a promo video for HAZE, the script for the game is currently over 1,000 pages long. You know how long 1,000 pages are? We couldn't imagine. The vdieo shows script writer Rob Yascombe as he runs out the studio with a gun giving people interviews. Enjoy!

[Haze script is over 1,000 pages long]

GameStop Lets You Have HAZE for a Week for Free (Sort Of)

It seems GameStop & EBGames are having a promotional offer for Ubisoft's upcoming HAZE. Pre-purchase the game upon it's release, and return it within a week after buying it and you'll get full credit back, meaning you can buy another game if you like.

You really need to look at it this way. This offer is pretty stupid. It's like renting a game for $60, but we all know thats what things like GameFly, Hollywood Video, and Blockbuster are for.

[EBGames: Get Haze for free!]

HAZE Interview: Delay Reasons, Hardest Factor, More

In a new interview, Strategy Informer's Mike Bowden spoke with Projeect Lead for Free Radical's upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive, HAZE, Derek Littlewood.

He spoke on the reason for the delay, which was basically that they wanted to deliver more. If they shipped Christmas, they wouldn't have been able to give us all the feautres of the game. The extra time they received to refine and polish it puts the game into the right position.

They've been polishing the core aspects of the game as much as they could. They've been balancing out multiplayer modes, and factions of the game. They state the result is a balance that, with an earlier release date, would not have been possible.

Littlewood states that the hardest part of developing the game was making it stream. That means you won't see a single loading screen from start to finish of the game.

He speaks on all the multi-platform speculation, saying that it is just speculation. He said people shouldn't get angry with the developmet team because it's on one console. It's unfair.

Read the full interview at the link below.

[HAZE Interview] [Thanks xbandaidx!]

HAZE: Nectar Trailer Confirms May 2008 Release

Well, in a fantastic-looking new HAZE trailer, we get confirmation that Free Radical will be releasing the game May 2008. We'll take a wild guess and say May 20, 2008. Enjoy the trailer.